You’ll soon be able to sip on a sample of craft beer in the aisles of Memphis grocery stores, thanks to a law passed on Tuesday.

Exactly how the law will be implemented remains to be seen.

The Memphis City Council unanimously approved an ordinance that allows for limited beer tastings at grocery stores and other retailers with city-issued licenses to sell beer for off-premise consumption. The tastings will be allowed for “promotional and educational purposes.”

“This is a just an ordinance that allows the growing industry of microbrews and people to enjoy a tasting and sample a product. It’s based on a law that is in effect in Nashville … and I think it goes to the public good,” said councilman Shea Flinn, sponsor of the ordinance.

New language added to the law in response to concerns about a lack of specifics calls for the Memphis Alcohol Commission to “promulgate rules for conducting beer tastings.”

“It’s just making sure that we weren’t opening a loophole that would allow for convenience stores … to become ‘beer halls,’ for lack of a better word,” Flinn said. “We think we’ve got the appropriate safeguards and we think we have the appropriate flexibility, giving the Alcohol Commission the ability to create rules for this effect to deal with any issues that might present themselves, although they’re not expected.”

A proposed law that would allow limited beer tastings at Memphis grocery stores is up for a final vote today by the City Council.

The proposal, which is an ordinance that will be heard on third and final reading, would allow on-site beer tastings at grocery stores and other retailers with city-issued licenses to sell beer for off-premise consumption. The tastings would be allowed for “promotional and educational purposes.”

According to Rich Foge, president of the Tennessee Malt Beverage Association, the ordinance lacked clear rules and regulations about which licensed stores could hold beer tastings, when and how often tastings could be held, and what size samples could be distributed. [source]

The latest version of the ordinance, which you can read below, calls for the Memphis Alcohol Commission to “promulgate rules for conducting beer tastings.”

The proposal was sparked after a local Whole Foods store could not host a Yazoo Brewing Company beer tasting. Yazoo’s Ivan Chester tweeted his support for the measure last week.

Support Memphis’s amendment to allow beer samples in grocery stores, just like u can in Nashville & Chattanooga!! ow.ly/fjF4Q

The state legislature recently passed a law allowing Tennessee liquor stores to hold tastings, and “Memphis retailers selling beer for off-­premise consumption should enjoy the same privilege,” Flinn’s proposal says.

It also notes that “craft, locally manufactured, and specialty beers have become extremely popular and sales of these products take over a larger share of the market each year; holders of licenses to sell beer for off-premise consumption would like to be able to conduct product tastings in their stores, providing free, small samples of products sold to customers for promotional and educational purposes, which is not permitted under the current Code of Ordinances.”

Memphis grocery stores would be allowed to host free beer tastings under a proposed ordinance being considered by the Memphis City Council.

The proposal, endorsed this week by a committee, would allow on-site beer tastings at grocery stores and other retailers with city-issued licenses to sell beer for off-premise consumption. The tastings would be allowed for “sales, education and promotional purposes.”

The proposal was sparked after a local Whole Foods store could not host a Yazoo Brewing Company beer tasting, according to council officials.

The state legislature recently passed a law allowing Tennessee liquor stores to hold tastings, and “Memphis retailers selling beer for off-­premise consumption should enjoy the same privilege,” Flinn’s proposal says.

It also notes that “craft, locally manufactured, and specialty beers have become extremely popular and sales of these products take over a larger share of the market each year; holders of licenses to sell beer for off-premise consumption would like to be able to conduct product tastings in their stores, providing free, small samples of products sold to customers for promotional and educational purposes, which is not permitted under the current Code of Ordinances.”

The ordinance must be approved on three readings, with the first set for Sept. 18. The final vote could happen as soon as Oct. 16.

A new law taking effect July 1 allows breweries in Mississippi to offer free on-site beer tastings and samplings. So Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company, Mississippi’s only craft brewery, is celebrating.

Lazy Magnolia will host its first-ever beer tasting at its brewery in Kiln on July 1, starting at 3 p.m.

Mississippi Senate Bill 2600, signed by Gov. Phil Bryant in May, allows six-ounce samples to be offered as part of structured tours, “which must include the entire manufacturing and brewing processes and methods used at the brewery.” Under the new law, beer tastings are allowed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.